UK celebrates ‘independence day’

BRITAIN has voted to quit the European Union on an historic morning for the country as Leave campaigners celebrate ‘independence day’.

Britain has voted for Brexit on an historic morning for the country

Leave officially passed the winning mark just after six o’clock this morning as voters demanded the UK untangle itself from the 28-country bloc.The Electoral Commission said 72.2 per cent of UK voters had attended polling stations on Thursday to take the momentous decision.The result sparked turmoil on financial markets, with pound sterling plunging 10 per cent to reach its lowest value against the dollar since 1985 while Japan briefly suspended trading in order to ease panicked traders.

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Turnout was high at 72.2 per cent

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Britain is waking up to a future outside the EU

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The result raises major doubts over David Cameron’s position

At a result night party, Ukip leader Nigel Farage – among those, including the Daily Express, who have spearheaded efforts for Britain to leave the EU – said: “Dare to dream that the dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom.Speaking to delirious supporters, he added: “This will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people.”We have fought against the multinationals, we have fought against the big merchant banks, we have fought against big politics, we have fought against lies, corruption and deceit.”And today honesty, decency and belief in nation, I think now is going to win.”And we will have done it without having to fight, without a single bullet being fired, we’d have done it by damned hard work on the ground.”He went on: “And we’ll have done it not just for ourselves, we’ll have done it for the whole of Europe.

“I hope this victory brings down this failed project and leads us to a Europe of sovereign nation states, trading together, being friends together, cooperating together, and let’s get rid of the flag, the anthem, Brussels, and all that has gone wrong.

“Let June 23 go down in our history as our independence day.”

The Brexit vote sparked immediate demands for the Netherlands own EU referendum from the country’s far-right leader Geert Wilders.Huge backing for Brexit across the English shires as well as north eastern towns and cities like Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool were boosted by the shock of strong Welsh support for leaving the EU.This was countered by emphatic majorities in London for Remain, which also picked up large swathes of Scotland and Northern Ireland.Signalling she could call for a second Scottish independence referendum, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Scotland has delivered a strong, unequivocal vote to remain in the EU, and I welcome that endorsement of our European status.She added: “The vote here makes clear that the people of Scotland see their future as part of the European Union.”

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Under pressure Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves his house this morning

EXPRESS

The polls were mostly wrong

This will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people.

Nigel Farage

The result raises huge doubts over the Prime Minister’s position, despite 84 eurosceptic Tory MPs expressing their support for David Cameron last night.Labour MPs and Mr Farage have called on Mr Cameron to consider his position.Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will also face a backlash from his MPs and rival parties amid criticism his lacklustre efforts to keep Britain in the EU failed to convince Labour supporters.Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said: “This self-inflicted wound will be David Cameron’s legacy. This is his failing. And when the call went out to Jeremy Corbyn, he refused to answer.”Their self-interested political maneuvering has taken our country to the brink, and we are toppling over the edge.”The result represents another major blow for pollsters, who had predicted a narrow Remain win in their final surveys before counting started